Friday, April 1, 2011

WINGS AND LACES

FIRST OF ALL I HATE (!) BREAKING IN NEW SHOES AND OFTEN THINK OF THE STEVE MARTIN SHORT STORY "CRUEL SHOES" (ABOUT A PARTICULARLY HORRIFIC PAIR) WHEN SPORTING SOME BLISTER FAR FROM HOME IN THE FIRST STAGES OF THE BREAK IN. SO, IN THE PAST YEAR I STARTED BUYING USED SHOES, MOSTLY WING TIPS. A COUPLE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT BUYING USED SHOES IS OFTEN YOU CAN FIND INCREDIBLE DEALS ON WHAT WOULD NORMALLY BE VERY EXPENSIVE SHOES AND THEY HAVE BEEN BROKEN IN FOR YOU, SOMETIMES FOR DECADES.
BRING IT ON.

FLORSHEIM IMPERIALS CIRCA 60'S

NO NAME W/ GLOVE LEATHER INTERIOR

DEXTER CIRCA 70'S

(RESOLED WITH DEAD STOCK CAT'S PAW)

PS. WANT TO GUARANTEE THESE BEAUTIES STAY TIED. CHANGE ALL YOUR LACES OVER TO WAX COTTON. A VERY GOOD $2.00 INVESTMENT. THIS IS MY FAVORITE BRAND FROM MY BROOKLYN LOCAL.

Excellent post. I'm the same way - I have a pair of identical Florsheims in brown, a no-name pair of black longwings, and a pair of Florsheim shell longwings. All bought used..err...broken in. I'm going to make an order for new WAXED laces today.